Update for RHS level 2 students who enrolled before July 2010
This is a quick reminder from our Garden School team about how your course links to the new Level 2 syllabus:
Please note this only applies to students who enrolled before the end of June 2010. If you enrolled after this time your study material has been specifically prepared for the new syllabus.
When launching the new certificates, the RHS used the original level 2 syllabus as a foundation for the new syllabus, and as a result the structure of the new syllabus was changed much more than the content. The certificate name was change too, to ‘Level 2 Certificate in Principles of Horticulture’. However, there are many similarities in the two syllabus and all of the study material you have is relevant to the new syllabus. (We estimate they are about 95% the same) We have been supplying bridging material to cover the 5% of new material, if you do not yet have a copy of this, please let your tutor know.
As to your existing material, the following lists the new exams and relates these to modules from your course material.
Current modules and new exams:
New: Principles of Plant Growth, Propagation and Development – Matches to Modules 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10 in the original course
Exams papers (split into two short exams) -
R2101 Plant classification, structure & function
R2104 Understanding plant propagation
R2102 Plant nutrition & the root environment
R2103 Maintaining plant health
New: Principles of Garden Planning, Establishment and Maintenance – Modules 1, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12 in the original course, plus Bridging Material
(Note – module 1 is more background and introductory info., relevant to both.)
Exam papers (again, four very short exam papers, taken in two separate exams)
Understanding garden features, plant selection & planning
Understanding the choice, establishment & maintenance of garden plants & lawns
Understanding the production of outdoor vegetables & fruit
Understanding protected environments & their use in plant cultivation
(Another difference is that there are now 4 short exams in all (each made up of 2 very short exam papers), spread over two days. You don’t have to sit the exams all in one go, you can spread them out over two or more exam sessions – exams are held twice a year, in February and June.)
To enrol you need to call your chosen examination centre (your tutor can provide a list) and ask to register for your chosen exam by name. It’s important that you give them the exact name of the exams you want to sit, and these can be found above. Your tutor can also provide a list with dates and times of exams for 2012.
Your tutor will be happy to work with you during revision – for example, you can complete past exam papers as extra assignments (this is something we recommend and there is no charge for this service). Learning Curve students who sat the new exams in February achieved excellent results – with a good number of students earning ‘commendations’ – and we expect the same for June.
Please do contact your tutor or our main office if you have any questions or there is anything you would like to discuss, we’ll be happy to hear from you at any time.
